Weekly Review Challenge (January 2015)

[Jodie E. Francis]

WR #3 done on Monday, which is 3 for 3 in 2015, and my longest streak in 2 yrs of GTD practice (!)

Starting in mid-Dec I set clear goals for the year, with the help of Michael Hyatt's 'Best year ever' program. SMART(ER) goals, with a clear understanding of WHY each is important to me. For now it's tracked on my paper worksheets, which I review weekly and someday I may move it to Evernote.

Some are traditional type goals (grow more beans, peas, tomatoes and cucumbers than last year) and others are to establish the habits that enable me to stay clear and focused and meet my goals (rise between 5 and 6:30 at least 5 days per week).

The idea of establishing specific habits to support achievement of goals was new for me, as was the idea of identifying one goal/habit in particular that, if attained, would make it easier to achieve the rest - like the first domino that sets off a chain reaction. So far it is working well, and for me to sustain anything beyond 30 days is quite remarkable.

 

[Barb]

WR #3 done on Monday, which is 3 for 3 in 2015, and my longest streak in 2 yrs of GTD practice (!)

Starting in mid-Dec I set clear goals for the year, with the help of Michael Hyatt's 'Best year ever' program. SMART(ER) goals, with a clear understanding of WHY each is important to me. For now it's tracked on my paper worksheets, which I review weekly and someday I may move it to Evernote.

Some are traditional type goals (grow more beans, peas, tomatoes and cucumbers than last year) and others are to establish the habits that enable me to stay clear and focused and meet my goals (rise between 5 and 6:30 at least 5 days per week).

The idea of establishing specific habits to support achievement of goals was new for me, as was the idea of identifying one goal/habit in particular that, if attained, would make it easier to achieve the rest - like the first domino that sets off a chain reaction. So far it is working well, and for me to sustain anything beyond 30 days is quite remarkable.

Jodie, what did you think of Michael's "Best Year" program? Do you recommend?

 

[FrDavid]

Jan 2015 (#1)

First review of the year completed! With the start of a new semester, the first few weeks were pretty hectic--but things are back into the regular swing, now.

Checklists--this is an area that I want to spend some more time playing with during the upcoming years. My new job is going to involve a ton of travel so I have developed a travel checklist that I'm starting to use. I'm looking forward to seeing other places where I might be able to implement checklists, as well.

 

[FrDavid]

WR #1

I have been toying with the idea of creating a Sunday evening checklist. Something that I can check after my son is asleep but before it's too late for me to do a few things. Some examples of what would be on it:
- review calendar with husband (do we need to book a babysitter?)
- clean out son's backpack (change spare clothes, remove small toys/papers)
- menu plan/update the shopping list
- process personal inbox (email and paper)
- do some filing/shredding
- backup Evernote/sync iPad/download new music and videos to iPad
- relax/read a book or play a game
- soak in the hot tub

I really like the idea of a "Sunday Evening Checklist!" I think that is a great idea--I know that I would sleep better that night!

 

[Jodie E. Francis]

Jodie, what did you think of Michael's "Best Year" program? Do you recommend?

Yes I found it made a huge difference for me. I've attempted goals in the past, even SMART ones, but they've never stuck beyond a couple of weeks (sad but true). His ideas to brainstorm the 'why' for each, keep them in front of your face by reviewing regularly, and also identify the 'master' goal that, if achieved, makes it easier to achieve the others, were all new to me, and have proven very useful. He may have also given me the idea that building a habit could be a goal.
Not to hijack this thread completely, but I've also assigned each month a focus (idea from Mike Vardy/Now Year). I have a 2'x3' wall calendar up, and each month has a focus goal (and perhaps a secondary goal) so I can see a realistic plan of how my year will unfold (no personal goal achievement during gardening season, back to school, or December, for example). This keeps my current enthusiasm in check so I don't burn out trying to achieve a year's worth of goals in the first month... another issue I've had in the past

 

[Hrlakat]

WR #1 January for Work (#1 of 52 for work)

Well, I did it! I actually completed a weekly review for my work GTD system today - I took Meg's advice and tried doing it mid-week, and that seemed to work well for me, at least this week.

I got through my outlook task list and my action / waiting for folders in email. The only thing I didn't do well was get current - I still have 152 emails in my immediate backlog file that I'm working through after being off the grid for a week, and essentially out of the office since last September. (Note that doesn't cover my real backlog which is many many more emails ).

Baby steps!

Have a great week!
Heather

 

[CassRussell]

WR#1 January (25 Jan 15)

Been putting the first weekly review off because I knew I had to put some of my 2015 'goals' in as projects and I was resisting that. As soon as I realised that was why I wasn't doing my WR I thought that would be the end of it and I'd just get started. But no, I procrastinated some more and now I'm sitting here on my long weekend having just completed my first review for the year - the icky feeling was just getting unbearable!

I've been getting clear for a couple of days so that at least I didn't have to do that during my proper weekly review time (which I prefer to spend on the 'get current' steps). As part of my weekly review today I added 9 new projects and moved 3 projects to someday.

To answer one of Barb's questions: What have you done recently to fine tune your Areas of Focus? I reworked my Horizons of Focus document in late 2014 and have read it every day this year to help keep me focused on the right things. It helped me move some of those projects to Someday today even though I found that challenging.

 

[Hrlakat]

WR #4 January (4 of 52)

Finished today ... holding at 765 next actions and down to 118 projects. I'm kind of disappointed in the 765 - I actually cleared several big back log items out of my system, but I guess David said something like cleaning creates new directions (and therefore more NAs!).

What one word describes your intentions during the coming year with GTD?

I don't have a GTD word per se - my 2015 word is fearless. I have a few big, emotionally charged decisions to make this year, some of which have been put off for too long. I am trying to break these down into little, do-able next actions, but I am amazed at the amount of resistance I have to breaking some of them down. So maybe my GTD phrase, to support my 2015 word, is "baby steps"!

 

[Barb]

#3 for January

I missed a review. I was out of town with all kinds of down time, but just blew it off. Don't we all do that sometimes?

I'm all caught up again now, as that "scuzz factor" set in the minute I opened my door when I got home! I've tried intentionally doing reviews less than weekly and I just start to feel foggy-headed. Even if not that much has changed and I've kept things up, I still have that feeling.

Have a great week!

 

[SiobhanBR]

#2 for January

I did a fairly comprehensive review last Friday. Although I am not clear, I got through all of my lists and email support folders and projects which made me feel a tiny bit more in control. Still way overloaded and struggling to find some important tasks to get completed. It is way too easy when you are overwhelmed to do a lot of small easy tasks rather than knocking off one big important one. They all need to get done and some of them are even important (like filing my expense claim so I can pay my credit card bill) but they don't make me feel like I am accomplishing anything.

I realized last week that my big goals for this year are the exact same big goals I had last year. Bummer. Part of that is the nature of my work (my big goals are around getting new regulations in force and an agreement between levels of government) but also I think sometimes I just get stuck working on the day to day. I need to consider if I am delegating enough... or too much... and try to really identify the next steps that are in my control to move some of these big projects forward.

I missed my year-end review because I was too busy working. I need to schedule at least half a day to do that year end review and really dig deeper into my higher horizons.

 

[Oogiem]

WR # 4 done

Most of this review was just going over stuff and saying, yep I worked on that but the action still not completed. The de-clutter of my computer is taking far longer than even I estimated and it's now down to the fiddly bits where I really have to think about hwo to re-label and file the mish mash of old data. I still have about 7000 files to curate. That's my new task, curate. I was reading that the choice is what to save and like a museum or a library we need tocurate what stays in the collection. Duplicates can go but also things located or easily accessible elsewhere. One problem is that while on the one hand the Internet makes a vast amount of information readily accessible, web sites change, programs go away and data is lost so you can't count on information and historical data still being there if you need it later. That makes it hard ofr me to decide to delete files I've saved. Yet I also need toimprove my access to them even on my own machine, hence the re-naming refiling work. It's tedious.

Not much sheep activity going on, one ram lamb got injured a couple of days ago and every morning that I go out and he's still alive I'm amazed. Usually they die when they get injured like that. We don't have much else to do with the sheep until first part of February, when the backup rams come out and we start ultrasounding the ewes.

 

[Jenn]

WR #4 for January (#4 of 2015)

I actually did this review on Friday but forgot to post. Just as I forgot to review my Horizons of Focus. So….my answer to the following question:

• Are there any new checklists you can create to help make repeatable processes easier for you?

….is that I need to create a new Weekly Review Checklist. I keep pulling out the original one that came with the system guide as I really like having those cards handy. It’s time to create one of my own that reflects MY WR.
I have a pretty good travel checklist that I use on a regular basis but I like the idea of having "add-ons" that vary depending on the purpose of the trip or the destination. I think I'll use that idea for my next trip which although it is to a tropical location, is actually for work. It's a strange combination of my business travel checklist and my vacation checklist

Overall it was a good review. Doing the review on Friday really allows me to have the weekend set to enjoy rather than worrying about what is coming up.

 

[Jodie E. Francis]

WR #4 for January done on Mon, and I'm a happy, happy girl )

"What steps will you take to keep your system energized throughout the year?"

Key for me will be to review the 'why' for each of my goals, during my weekly reviews. In a rather circular way, one of my goals is to DO weekly reviews... and as long as I can hold on to that sense of calm control that the review provides, I believe I will continue to do it. Another key aspect of the 'why' is that it helps me monitor progress toward my other goals, no matter how slight, so that I don't become discouraged.

 

[Marie Greer]

HI Barb,

I am a GTD Certified Trainer in Virginia. I've been a trainer for a few years now and just love it. As the new year approached, I also made a job change which is taking me in an exciting new direction. I left an H R Manager position with a specialty retail company to join a the corporate leadership team of a petroleum based company that has not been introduced to GTD before. I am so excited to share the GTD methodology with this new team and help us all take the foundation we have and make the company even stronger by working smarter not harder with GTD.

Making this move and turning the page to a new year has allowed me and virtually forced me to take a look at my horizons and areas of focus, my someday/maybes and my daily and weekly practices in a new environment. The challenge of taking my "old system" which worked so well and incorporating into my new world has been a super opportunity for me to refocus and reprioritize. This position provides me with some professional goals that I did not have before as well as some professional ones. The differences in the day to day work load and roles has led me to recreating some of my lists and agendas and also doing my weekly review differently. If it wasn't for the weekly review, I would be drowning right now in all the new things I am responsible for.

I am getting ready to achieve one of my areas of focus this year in that I am completing my Bachelor's Degree in Business and Sustainability. I will graduate in May. GTD has helped me more than I can say to balance the priorities of family life, work, community and education. It has been a wildly busy few years but so well worth it as I see this coming on the horizon and am working on resetting other goals into position as this one is completed.

An exciting year lies ahead and I am eager to introduce GTD to my new company and experience the endless possibilities ahead for us.

 

[Barb]

HI Barb,

I am a GTD Certified Trainer in Virginia. I've been a trainer for a few years now and just love it. As the new year approached, I also made a job change which is taking me in an exciting new direction. I left an H R Manager position with a specialty retail company to join a the corporate leadership team of a petroleum based company that has not been introduced to GTD before. I am so excited to share the GTD methodology with this new team and help us all take the foundation we have and make the company even stronger by working smarter not harder with GTD.

Making this move and turning the page to a new year has allowed me and virtually forced me to take a look at my horizons and areas of focus, my someday/maybes and my daily and weekly practices in a new environment. The challenge of taking my "old system" which worked so well and incorporating into my new world has been a super opportunity for me to refocus and reprioritize. This position provides me with some professional goals that I did not have before as well as some professional ones. The differences in the day to day work load and roles has led me to recreating some of my lists and agendas and also doing my weekly review differently. If it wasn't for the weekly review, I would be drowning right now in all the new things I am responsible for.

I am getting ready to achieve one of my areas of focus this year in that I am completing my Bachelor's Degree in Business and Sustainability. I will graduate in May. GTD has helped me more than I can say to balance the priorities of family life, work, community and education. It has been a wildly busy few years but so well worth it as I see this coming on the horizon and am working on resetting other goals into position as this one is completed.

An exciting year lies ahead and I am eager to introduce GTD to my new company and experience the endless possibilities ahead for us.

So glad to have you participating, Marie! And we have that "HR Thing" in common! Congrats on that huge accomplishment!

 

[SiobhanBR]

#3 for January

I had a much more normal weekly review this morning. I think it is the first day this year that I have had no meetings scheduled. I closed my door for an hour and a half like I usually do and got through all of my lists. Lots to clean up and I feel much better. My inbox is not yet empty but it is getting closer. I have a goal to do that by the end of the afternoon -- and since I left my keys at home I get an extra hour because I have to wait for my husband to come pick me up. ;-)

That is the kind of week I had, though. On Monday, I left my computer at home and on Friday I left my keys at home. Luckily, there are extra computers and everything is on the network. Also, luckily, I keep an extra desk key in my office. I think this is symptomatic of my not having the decks cleared - I am trying to keep too much in my head so I'm forgetting the obvious.

 

[Hrlakat]

WR #2 January for Work (#2 of 52 for work)

I did my second WR for my work GTD system on Thursday ... yay! I still don't feel like it's as in-depth as my personal WRs, but then again I haven't customized a WR checklist for work.

As part of the review, I got my inbox to zero (down from close to 200 emails). What I observed what that a lot of those emails were reference that for some reason I didn't feel like I could move out of my inbox and into another reference folder. Once I realized this, I was able to speed up processing of the emails and found a "surprise" towards the bottom of the list that I still had time to deal with.

I've been listening to the GTD work-life balance CDs, and one quote that I captured that describes my job (and my personal life) is this: "Cleaning up creates new directions." I was approached about a new position on Tuesday (a few days after my first work WR!!!), and the powers that be are sorting things out now ... the better you get, the better you BETTER get!

 

[Jenn]

WR #5 for January (#5 of 2015)

Just catching up on posting. I did my review on Friday last week before leaving for a business trip on Saturday. I realized today that I hadn't completed the last item on the weekly review list - post on GTD connect!

It was good to do a review prior to leaving on my trip and I was able to identify the things that I wanted to complete while travelling, making sure I had the right materials with me.....and leaving things at home that I wouldn't be working on while away.

My flights home are reserved for a solid Horizons of Focus review!

Jenn

 

[John Forrister]

Congratulations to Hrlakat, our winner of the January Weekly Review Challenge. I'll follow up with you by email about the prize.

Thanks to everyone for not just the frequency, but the quality of your posts.